


Bridge Towards Home

by ml101



Series: Tales from the Land [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Mantis Menagerie Fic Exchange, Mantis Menagerie Fic Exchange 2018, May Day Menagerie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 17:23:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14501874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ml101/pseuds/ml101
Summary: The valley wasn't her home, no matter how much the other trolls and Grand Pabbie welcomed her. The bridge she used as a shelter was somewhat her home. The books she gets lost into was the closest thing to a home she could ever had imagined. But then...the Spinner came along.





	Bridge Towards Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lotus0kid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lotus0kid/gifts).



> Dear lotus0kid,
> 
> Here's the second story and I hope you like it!
> 
> Your Zookeeper,  
> wierdogal/ ml101

Belle led a happy life. She had her bridge and she had her books. She didn't really care if her own kind thought she was the weirdest thing that had ever passed her village.

You see, Belle was a troll. But she was not your ordinary rock troll. You see Belle wasn't your usual looking rock troll. For one she was almost the size of a human...maybe the size of a young human, Grand Pabbie had told her. Sure her skin was like the other rock trolls but her hair was long and brown.

Grand Pabbie had told her numerous times how she came to be with them. He was understanding of her and her weirdness and everyone was kind enough to her...but she always stood out and she always felt not part of the valley.

So she decided to leave. Grand Pabbie had been sad but he shook his head and took Belle's hands into his.

"I think this is something you should do my dear," said Grand Pabbie with a sad smile. "We are sad to see you go, especially since you feel like you do not belong here. But always remember that you are welcome to come back and visit...even if you find the home you are looking for."

And she sort of did find her home. Sure the space underneath the bridge near the valley was ok. Not a lot of people used the bridge anyway so she wasn't bothered. But her real home was pieces of paper with words bound together by string and protected by hard covers.

When she first discovered a book, she just couldn't stop reading. Grand Pabbie had a few back in the valley but when Belle had left and found a book by the same bridge she now resides under...she had found an escape.

There was a few villages nearby and she had long coats that could disguise her appearance. Grand Pabbie had given her a satchel that would never run out of gold pieces to help her live her life outside the valley. It had been a challenge to find the courage to go and find more books but since then she's been travelling to find more books she could read.

She would never tire of the tales of adventure, of quests, sword fightings, magic spells...finding love and living happily ever after.

She hugged the book to her chest as yet another prince and princess found each other after a tough battle. Oh how she wished she would find something like that outside of her books. Oh how she wish…

xXx

Rumplestiltskin was happy. He had manage to sell all the thread he had spun and even made deals for some dress commissions. Not that he was a stranger to the market of Arendelle, but he wasn't a local so getting commissions was a surprise. He should probably rent a cart and horse the next time he headed to the market in the Arendelle.

With everything he had sold, he was even able to buy Bae a book. The boy was growing up fast and he was performing well in his studies at their village. His aunts were always telling him how Baelfire loved to read and Rumple couldn't be any happier that his boy was a reader just like him.

He couldn't wait to get home and give his son the book. But most of the people from his village had opted to stay the night at Arendelle seeing at how close it was to dusk. Rumple was usually known for patience but he just couldn't wait. He told his fellow villagers that he would make the trip that night.

The others tried to persuade him but they knew it was futile. Rumplestiltskin's life revolved around his boy. Nothing in all the realms would delay father from getting home to his son.

And so there Rumpelstiltskin was, walking swiftly as his desire for home fueled his body. He was thinking about how excited Bae was when he started reading his new book that Rumplestiltskin failed to notice that there were creatures following him.

The growl finally broke through his thoughts and Rumple stopped short, his senses on high alert. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see movement.

He slowly turned his head and even with the dim light his heart sank at what he saw. A pack of wolves was following him, some moving ahead to cut off his path seeing as they were already spotted.

The wolves were growling and Rumple swallowed the fear that was ready to take over him. He needed to keep calm and be alert. It was the only possible way he would find a way to get out of the mess he had managed to walk himself in.

The wolf in front of him lunged and good thing his walking stick was sturdy and he managed to throw the beast away. He didn't bother to check if he manage to throw it far as he ran in the first direction he could.

It was a couple of seconds later that he realized he wasn't running towards his home. Well he could think about that later when he was no longer being chased by a pack of carnivores.

A bridge was coming into his line of sight, and with the limited light it might prove a useful hiding spot. If he could just-

A heavy mass landed hard on his back and he was sent sprawling towards the bridge, his gift to bae flying over the edge of the bridge to whatever it was underneath.

He managed to hit the wolf with his elbow as he scrambled to get back on his feet. The wolves were circling him now, a much closer proximity than earlier. If they pounced on him at the same time, he wouldn't be able to fend all of them off.

As the first wolf tried, he braced himself only for the wolf to be grabbed by another pair of arms and pulled away from him. Rumple didn't relax as the others wolves began their attack...but with the stranger's help, they manage to finally scare the pack away.

As Rumple watched them retreating, he finally let himself fall to the ground, his heart beating a mile a minute.

"You dropped this," came the stranger's voice as the book he bought Bae was handed to him.

"Thank you," replied Rumple shakingly as he tried to stand but his legs still kept on shaking and he just saw back down. "I'm sorry I just-I thought I was a goner for a minute."

"I don't think it's wise for anyone to be traveling at this time of night by themselves," replied the stranger who remained standing. "Especially without a carriage."

Rumple studied the stranger. The woman, judging by her voice, was shorter than him and she was wearing a heavy brown cloak that pretty much covered her entire body. Her hood was up and he could barely see her face. He was about to say nothing more of it when he caught a glimpse of her hand and his father instincts took over.

"You're hurt," said Rumple, moving forward to look at the arm of her coat which was torn from one of the wolves' claw. But he stopped short when he saw that instead of seeing bleeding skin as he expected, he saw grey stone like skin.

The stranger immediately snatched her arm away from him and fled to jump off the bridge.

"Wait-please, I'm sorry!"

The woman stopped short and turned to him. "You're sorry? Whatever for?"

"I-" began Rumple, not really knowing what to say. "Well for getting you hurt, for starters."

"I'm not hurt as you can tell," replied the woman, her voice a little sad. "You better be off."

"There's must be some way I could repay you," began Rumple. He started rummaging through the pack he had at his belt. "I'm a spinner. Maybe I could mend your cloak."

"It's alright," replied the woman. "I can probably find another one."

"Not made of magical moss and crystals," replied Rumple with a smile. "I was thought repairing moss cloaks, you know."

The women hesitated then finally brought down her hood. "My name is Rumplestiltskin. Thank you for saving my life. May I fix your torn cloak as my way of apologizing for your inconvenience?"

The woman smiled softly and nodded. She began taking off her cloak. "It was nothing, if I'm being honest. I just saw another being in need of help and I...well, helped. My name is Belle."

Rumple nodded. "Is there any place where we could sti so I could work on this?"

Belle nodded. "Follow me." To his surprise, Belle took his hand and led him to the side of the bridge where there was a set of steps leading to down and soon enough there was a makeshift living space underneath the bridge.

"This is amazing," said Rumple as he looked around. "This is where you live? I thought Rock Trolls lived in a valley."

"As you can see," began Belle as she motioned to herself. "I'm not really your typical Rock Troll. How did you know what I was?"

"Well," began Rumple as he sat on a nearby stone and began fixing Belle's cloak. "My aunts told me a story of how they had met with one before. How they usually wore moss cloaks and colorful crystals."

He lifted his head to meet Belle's gaze. "When I saw your arm, I just brought it all together."

"And you weren't afraid?" asked Belle, sitting opposite him. "I probably look hideous."

"I don't know about you but the women sitting in front of me is the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on," began Rumple and then he smiled. "Besides, I was taught never to judge a book by its cover."

Belle smiled grew. "I love to read myself. This book you dropped has a very curious title."

"It was a favorite tale of mine growing up," replied Rumple. "I did not manage to save my own copy but I found this at the market and wanted to give it to my son." He started mending Belle's cloak but stopped to look up at her. "He's growing up so fast and reading is becoming his favorite past time."

"What is it about?" asked Belle.

"It's the tales of a man named Gideon, who at first didn't know it, but he was destined to do great things," told Rumple. "He would face any evil just to protect the people he loves."

"Sounds like an adventure," replied Belle. "That why I love reading so much...it gives me a glimpse of the world that I know I can never have."

"Why not?" asked Rumple.

"I'm not exactly someone or something that can just go out into the world and go on adventures," said Belle with a resigned sigh. "No matter how much I want to. No, my adventures are in the books I read and I'm contented with that."

Rumple couldn't find the words to argue with her when he sometimes felt the same way. "Books as an escape, you mean."

"Exactly," said Belle with a sad smile as their eyes locked. Rumple cleared his throat and finished the final thread then inspected his work. "You work fast."

Rumple shrugged and stood to offer Belle her cloak. "It's not good as new but I think it's not noticeable."

"It's remarkable," replied Belle as she looked at the mend Rumple did. "Thank you."

"That's my line," replied Rumple. "I don't think a simple thing like that could repay what you just did for me."

Belle began to shake her head but then Rumple took the book and offered it to her. "I can't take this! It's for your son."

"I bought him other things from the market," said Rumple with a shrug. "I'm sure I can find another copy to give to him one day."

"Besides," added Rumple as he looked behind Belle. "I can see you're building up a collection."

Belle stepped aside so Rumple could look at the books she had stacked up one corner. He began talking about one book he recognized and what he liked about that particular tale and then jumped to another book that he liked and so on and so on…

Belle couldn't help but smile. Not only was this man another avid reader but she agreed to every commentary he gave to the book he would call out.

"Oh you should definitely read this," said Rumple, motioning again to the book he held. "Based on the books here, you'll love this one."

"What about we compromise," began Belle, not knowing where her bravery suddenly came from. "I'll borrow this and maybe you could return and bring your son along with you so he could borrow my books."

Rumple's expression was pure astonishment and Belle mentally kicked herself for making the offer. The man was just being kind and she just had to ruin it by-

"That would be great," replied Rumple, walking closer to her to hand over the book. She finally accepted and Rumple placed his hands over hers on the side of the book. He blushed slightly but forced himself to meet her gaze. "I mean for my son of course...I'd love for him to get his hands on as many books as possible."

"But?"

"But...well…" said Rumple bowing his head slightly but a smile was on his face. "Well I want to have a reason to see you again."

Belle's eyes widened but her smile brightened as well. "I would like that."

They stayed like that, hands holding each other by the side of the book and just looking at each other's eye.

"Well...I guess I should be going," began Rumple reluctantly. "I'll see you soon?"

"Yes," replied Belle as she led him back up to the bridge. "Travel safe."

Rumple nodded and shyly waved and headed back towards the direction of his home.

Belle watched him go, his heart sinking a little. But why should she be sad. He said he would come back. She did have the book and that was one reason why he would return...but the expression he wore sort of mirrored her own feelings.

What was it that she had read recently...do the brave thing and bravery will follow?

xXx

For a man who earlier that day was eager to get home, Rumplestiltskin was surely taking his time in walking away from the bridge. There was nothing else he'd rather do then offer for Belle to accompany him back home...but judging from her home, he believed that she'd probably prefer her solitude.

But she did offer for him and his son to visit...so that was-

What was he even thinking? She was a Rock Troll. He was just a spinner with no great qualities. A pathetic human being that not even other humans would choose. Why would a rock troll be interested in him?

He had meant what he said. She was beautiful. Inside and out. She had no reason in saving his life and she did. She didn't have to accept his offer and she did. She showed him her own home when it was obvious she preferred being by herself.

Rumple sighed. He would make it up to her. Maybe when he brings Bae to the bridge he could spin her a blanket...or another cloak. Maybe even a dress-

"Wait!"

He stopped and turned sharply only to collide with another person and they both fell hard to the ground.

"Belle?"

They helped each other up and Rumple turned to look at her. "Did I-"

"No, I just..well," began Belle, bowing her head. "I just didn't think it was wise to travel alone at this time...you might meet the pack again."

"But what about your home?" asked Rumple.

Belle patted the small bag tied to her belt. "It's a magical pouch that fits everything I own."

"Even the books?" asked Rumple curiously as he looked at it.

"Yes," said Belle with a smile. "It just takes a lot of time, finding the right one." She paused as she turned to the path they were heading. "Just like finding one's home takes a bit of time…"

"The bridge wasn't what you expected it to be?" asked Rumple.

"Well it wasn't really my home," said Belle with a shrug. "The books were in a way, my home...but I suddenly came realize that maybe a home isn't exactly a place or a thing." She turned to meet his gaze. "Maybe it's something that when you part ways, you miss it."

Rumple smiled and slowly took her hand into his own. "My son once told me that is how you know you really got a home...when you leave it, there's this feeling you can't shake. You just miss it."

Belle smiled. "Your son sounds very smart."

"Extremely," said Rumple. "I'm sure he'd be happy to meet you."

"I can't wait," replied Belle. Rumple smiled and let go of her hand only to offer her his arm.

"Ready to take on an adventure that would make everything else you've read seem little," asked Rumple.

"With you, I'm ready to take on anything," replied Belle and soon they were walking to the vast unknown. Not knowing what their stories held but eager to find out and reach the ending...their happy ending.


End file.
